Confessions of a Reforming Shopaholic?

If you like free swag, before you read this, go to the post below and leave a comment for my itty bitty giveaway. It's not massive, but happy mail is always good mail, right? Is there a woman out there who hasn't read Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella yet? And the rest of the novels (so far)? And who is going to see the movie that comes out in a few weeks?

I must confess that I have read every last novel, drooling over the shopping escapades of one Becky Bloomwood and cringing as I wondered how she was going to dig herself out of debt. She always manages to rise to the occasion, but not before I almost get heartburn in angst over it. And it's a fiction series!!!

Even though I'm a thrifty, flea market girl at heart, I have my full retail habits. Under my favorite websites I have saved, there is an entire section for make up and skincare. Hubbie worries when he hears the associates at Sephora call me by name. I'm trying to save my pennies until mid-February for when MAC Cosmetics releases their Hello Kitty line because I want it almost as much for the cute packaging as the make up. I'll skimp on butter to save a buck, but my skin is priceless. I wasn't born blessed with dewy, poreless skin. I'm not going to add insult to skin injury by bargaining with it.

And CHA starts tomorrow. I've said it before, I have NO business even considering purchasing any art supplies that aren't staples, but I'm feeling that frisson of excitement with each email containing a spoiler alert for new product. My inner Becky Bloomwood is making a list and planning to purchase as soon as it hits the stores.

But, I'm trying to be more conscious of my spending habits.

I'm really curious to know if anyone else looks to the era of the 40's when people were planting Victory Gardens, using ration books and repurposing everything with a bit of admirable envy?

Does anyone else worry that our consumer driven society has crippled us as we live through this time of recession? Do we still have that can-do spirit?

I'd like to hope that we can and will rise to the occasion.

Now, why do I have no business buying any art supplies? I have a room that is bursting at the seams with lovely things that rarely see the light of the work table. I've been making an effort to use it up. Tossing an empty package into the wastebasket is a most satisfying feeling. And really, when the creative session is over, I don't feel the least bit deprived for not working with the latest releases, but I do feel the satisfaction of creating AND utilizing my older, but still gorgeous stash. Now that puts a big Cheshire Cat grin on my face (you know, the face with pores big enough to drive a Hummer into?).

This is one of 6 Valentine's cards from old supplies....

All old stash: old cardstock, patterned paper, rub-ons, ooooooooooooooooold...The rub-ons for the sentiments are 5 years old! And they still went on like buttah...

Punched those tiny hearts out with the very first incarnation of the Quickutz. Yes, I still have an original handle. Still works!